The Dolphin Dispatch

News from Room 7

January 13, 2017

Just as we are getting into the swing of things, we have another holiday on Monday – MLK Day. We will be talking about Dr. King next week and learning how much he contributed to the benefit of ALL people in our country.

This week our phonics skill revolved around words with “ow” and “oa.” This was our first foray into long vowels. Our literacy centers revolve around our phonics skills for the week so the kiddos can get extra practice. The Listening Center activity usually addresses comprehension skills.

We are halfway through our space adventure in CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) Speaking and Listening. We have learned about the sun, stars, constellations, the moon, orbits, and astronauts. Next week we will be taking a look at individual planets.

In math we finished up time to the hour and half hour and are working with beginning fractions; ½ and ¼. We are learning that each piece is an equal part of one whole. We will also be counting and making groups of 10; intro to place value.

We have been working through the Writing Process to create a paragraph called What Snowmen Do at Night. We are learning that adjectives are used to describe nouns, and the students are trying to add their own adjectives to their writing. As the kiddos publish their pieces, they will be displayed in the First Grade hallway.

There seems to be some confusion as to what homework students should be turning in. On the first of each month, the Homework calendar for the previous month needs to be turned in. New calendars go home in the Fish Folders on Fridays before the first of the month. Also, each week students are responsible for sharing a book – Book Celebrations. Days do not change and the Book Celebrations occur each week unless otherwise noted in the Dolphin Dispatch (see below). In addition to being homework, these Book Celebrations are linked to the common core standards for speaking and listening.

Thank you to those who volunteered to be Field Trip chaperones. I will let you know on Tuesday whose names were drawn. Remember, ALL parents can meet us at Desert Foothills Park for lunch after the play.

Important Information

·  No school on Monday

·  There will not be Book Celebrations next week.

·  Please return the report card envelope if you have not already done so.

·  Book Celebrations return the week of January 23rd

·  Last Art Masterpiece on Wednesday, January 25th at 8:15 a.m.

·  First Grade Field Trip on Friday, January 27th

Enjoy the long weekend!